Episode 130 (video): Why Are We So Fascinated by Famous People?

If you’ve ever met a famous person you know how exciting that feels. But why? What is it about fame that draws so many people to it? In this episode I examine fame from two very perspectives: the Basking in Reflected Glory theory and Terror Management Theory. Along the way we’ll see what this all has to do with the rock band Queen, baseball and Chelsea Clinton’s wedding.

Thanks again to Beth Benoit of Granite State College and to Melissa Kennedy of Holy Names Academy for pointing me in the direction of the following sources:

Terror management theory is based heavily on the writings of cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker, and in particular his book The Denial of Death, for which he won the 1973 Pulitzer Prize. According to TMT, humans, having …

5 thoughts on “Episode 130 (video): Why Are We So Fascinated by Famous People?”

I particularly liked the study with the students and concluding with the football team question.

Would it be an accurate conclusion that “our self-perception changes according to how we “feel” at that time”
I’m trying to see this from a social view, whether we put ourself in an environment (people, pleasant room, at university etc) that makes us feel better or worse.

Just as a side-note. The International Star Registry, which you indirectly mentioned in this episode, is nothing but bogus. Their register is about as official and recognized in the astronomical community as a napkin which I have jotted down some star names on.

Thanks Derek. I checked out the link to the Astronomy Cast. Interesting – I had no idea that the whole “name a star after yourself” was bogus until this episode, although the idea certainly did sound a little fishy.